Around 350 students of NES International School in Mulund planted 200 saplings along a 200-metre median around their school last week.

As a part of their Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programme, around 350 students of NES International School, Mulund, planted 200 saplings along a 200-metre median around their school last week.

The students have adopted the plants for the next 18 months, and will be nurturing and protecting them. “The area where our school is located in Yogi Hills was a green area earlier, but with development, the green cover was reduced. That’s why we decided to plant saplings and beautify the area around our school,” said Krishi Jain, a student of the IB Diploma programme.

Currently, the median where the saplings have been planted has been painted by the students to depict school-related activities. Jain added that all the students carried some seeds given to them in the school back home to plant them around their houses after the plantation drive was done.

“We analysed and planned which plants need to be planted. We zeroed in on flowering and non-flowering plants and planted the saplings. We note the growth of the plant in our diaries,” said Shruti Sen, a Class 11 student.

Another student, Nupur Duth, said that as a part of their 150-hours course, the students will be checking on the plants once every two weeks along with a gardener.

Dr R Varadrajan, founder president, NES, said the school took permission from the T-ward office and worked with them to execute the project. “We asked student leaders to take responsibility of the area around the school to keep it clean. We are ready to help students by all means. We are also in the process of initiating an artificial lake for ‘Ganesh Visarjan’ along with the civic body,” said Varadrajan.

The school is working with the local corporator to launch a library. “I am happy NES is sharing the responsibility with the civic body in beautifying the area. With the school’s support, we are launching an open air reading room-cum-library at Sardar Pratap Singh Garden where students can read books and study,” said Manoj Kotak, local corporator.